Just 5 minutes of daily exercise may significantly lower dementia risk if you follow this one rule, new study says

The importance of staying active as we age is something we’re all becoming increasingly aware of. While it’s great that we’re all living for longer, it also means we’re at more risk of serious age-related health conditions.

Healthy diets and exercising regularly are not only important for maintaining our cardiovascular health and warding off diseases, but studies have also shown that they’re also hugely beneficial for our brains. If there was ever a reason to go for a walk after lunch or pick up Pilates for beginners, it's this.

A new American study has found a positive link between the amount of exercise an older person does each week and their risk of getting dementia. Researchers from John Hopkins University found that doing just over half an hour of exercise each week can protect your brain health, with more exercise equalling more benefits for the brain. Among the participants who did up to 35 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous exercise every week there was a 41% drop in dementia risk, compared to those who didn’t exercise at all.

That's just five minutes a day, provided you can stick to the "moderate-to-vigorous" rule. This is exercise that makes your heart rate rise, makes you breathe faster and sweat more, but you should still be able to hold a conversation. Taking the stairs, going for an early morning walk, or a quick weights workout are just three exercise snacks you can do to hit the 5-minute target.

For many of us, fitting 35 minutes of exercise into our week shouldn’t feel too challenging. If you can manage more than this, the benefits will really pay off. The study found that there was 69% reduction in dementia risk among the people who did 140 minutes or more of physical activity per week.

The NHS recommends that adults aged 19 to 64 should do 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity every week to help prevent serious health conditions.

The researchers analysed data on 89,667 British adults, mostly in their 50s or older. The participants wore fitness trackers on their wrists to log their movement over time.

"Our findings suggest that increasing physical activity, even as little as five minutes per day, can reduce dementia risk in older adults," says Dr Amal Wanigatunga, an epidemiologist at Johns Hopkins. “This adds to a growing body of evidence that some exercise is better than nothing, especially with regard to an aging-related disorder that affects the brain that currently has no cure.”

The experts say more research needs to be done into the exact reasons for this positive association between brain health and exercise. However, they already know that staying active can help increase the size of the parts of your brain responsible for learning and memory. A recent study from the Pacific Neuroscience Institute’s Brain Health Center found that even taking fewer than 4,000 steps a day could have a positive effect on brain health.

Dr Wanigatunga also stressed that you can never be too old to start doing light exercise. Last year, a study from the University of Sydney found that even if you’ve not exercised regularly up until reaching middle age, you can reverse some health problems by upping your activity levels. Provided you can commit to a couple of days a week, other recent research has found that basic strength training can knock a eight years off your biological age, with results showing promise for those 42 and older.

What is dementia?

Dementia is an umbrella term used to describe a range of progressive health conditions that affect your brain health and function. There are many types but the most common symptoms include:

• Memory loss
• Problems with language and speaking
• Problems with understanding
• Mood changes
• Difficulty with daily activities
• Issues with thinking speed and understanding.

According to the NHS, 1 in 11 people over 65 have dementia in the UK and it's estimated that there are over one million people with a dementia diagnosis in 2025, with almost all of us knowing someone who has it or did have it, according to Dementia UK.

The disease is most common in people over 65 but young onset dementia affects around 5% of people with the disease.

There are many different types of dementia, including Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia, and the causes will vary from person-to-person. However, some of the common causes include genetics, brain changes, and lifestyle choices such as smoking or drinking alcohol.

You can’t prevent dementia but staying mentally and physically active is really important in maintaining good cognitive function.

If you’re worried about your dementia risk or have questions about support, the Dementia UK website has a lot of great resources.